Vucic Hands Presidential Seal to Ana Brnabic

Aleksandar Vucic handed over the duty of president of the Republic to Ana Brnabic, the outgoing speaker of the National Assembly, on Monday morning, September 28, at the Presidency of Serbia. The handover came a day after Vucic resigned from the post on Sunday evening, citing Article 116, paragraph 5 of the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia. Brnabic has been acting president since that moment, a role she can hold for up to three months, or 90 days, until a new president is elected.

Vucic announced his resignation in an address outside the Presidency building, which Prime Minister Djuro Macut also attended. He said he wanted to take part in the upcoming election as an ordinary citizen, without holding the presidency.

“I am grateful to the citizens who placed their trust in me twice. Today is the day I am submitting my resignation,” Vucic said.

He added that he made the decision even though he could have run in the election as sitting president.

“I could have run in the election as president of the Republic. Even many of my friends who are presidents abroad asked me in disbelief: why are you doing this?” Vucic said.

What Vucic Handed Over Along With the Seal

During the handover in his office, Vucic gave Brnabic the presidential seal, decrees on state honors, pardon decrees from both of his terms, a record of gifts received, a financial report, a report on his work, and a report on court disputes and enforcement proceedings. Just before resigning, he also decided to pardon 49 people, including 12 from the so called Novi Sad group and 11 individuals who took part in incidents against protesters.

The handover coincided with Ana Brnabic’s birthday, which Vucic marked with a bouquet of pink roses.

“Happy birthday, and I wish you a successful takeover,” Vucic said.

Brnabic thanked him for the duty she was taking on.

“It is an honor to take on this duty from such a man, and to be able to hold this position until the next president is elected,” Brnabic said, adding that she believes Serbia “will never again have a president who fought as hard.”

She also noted that the new role is, to some extent, at odds with her own political record.

“It’s a bit ironic, I spent my whole professional life fighting against the seal,” Brnabic said.

According to Danas, Brnabic thereby becomes the first person in Serbia to have held all three highest state offices: she was prime minister, then speaker of the National Assembly, and is now acting president of the Republic.

When the Election Must Be Held

Vucic served as president of Serbia for nearly nine and a half years across two terms, the first from 2017 and the second from April 2022 to September 2026. Parliamentary elections have already been scheduled for October 25, and Vucic is heading the “Aleksandar Vucic, United Serbia” electoral list.

Sources differ on the final deadline for the presidential election. N1 reports that the last possible date is December 27, and Niske novine reports the same. Danas, however, calculates that, depending on when the election is called, it could be held on any weekend between November 1 and December 26. The Constitution only requires that the vote be held no later than three months after the mandate ends, and that no fewer than 30 and no more than 60 days pass between the election being called and the vote itself.

Until then, Brnabic, as acting president, has the authority to represent Serbia at home and abroad, receive letters of credence from foreign diplomats, call elections for the National Assembly, nominate a candidate for prime minister, and command the Serbian Armed Forces. Srpske Novine reported on September 25 that Vucic would submit his resignation on Sunday evening, around 8 p.m.